NHL preseason outlook
Thumbnail courtesy of Michael Miller/Wikimedia Commons
Sidney Crosby, forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins, has just signed a two year extension with the Penguins, whom he has played with since they drafted him in 2005.
With the 2024-25 National Hockey League (NHL) season ahead of us, fans and viewers hope that each division will be competitive and entertaining. With the sport’s fresh talent emerging from the draft, major offseason trades shaking up rosters, and veteran players striving for another shot at glory—the stage is set for high-stakes competition. Every team in the league will be looking forward to one thing and one thing only: A race to the Stanley Cup.
In the Metropolitan Division, the New York Rangers are the most prepared regarding the postseason intensity of the playoffs. They acquired right-wing Reilly Smith from the Pittsburgh Penguins who, just the season before, helped the Vegas Golden Knights hang up their first championship banner; maybe his Cup-winning experience will give the Rangers exactly what they have been missing. In Pittsburgh, the Penguins by far have the most seasoned players in the division, with center Sidney Crosby resigning for another two years and a revamped roster under the direction of new general manager Kyle Dubas. Dubas has already signed new young players like forward Rutger McGroarty, and hopefully, the mix of seasoned and fresh talent will give Crosby a chance to lift the Cup one more time before hanging up his skates. A notable team in the Metropolitan Division that will be facing adversity this season on more than just the ice is the Columbus Blue Jackets, after the tragic passing of their star winger Johnny Gaudreau in a drunk driving accident in August. It will be interesting to see how the team might adjust or come together after their teammate’s tragic passing.
On the other coast in the Pacific Division, the Vegas Golden Knights are coming off a strong season but have a significantly weaker roster after losing forward Jonathan Marchessault and center Chandler Stephenson. This means the Golden Knights will rely on new additions like right-wing Alexander Holtz and goaltender Ilya Samsonov to keep their name in the playoff conversation. On the other hand, the Edmonton Oilers remain a powerhouse after their Stanley Cup Playoff run, making it to the finals, where they fell to the Florida Panthers. Their offense continues to shine with centers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl leading, however, their defense and goaltending situation remains a big question mark. Unfortunately, you cannot just sign depth players and expect them to make up for some poor off-season decisions on the front office’s part. The San Jose Sharks continue to be a weaker team in the league as they are in the process of piecing together their strongest and most balanced team, but you have to hand it to them, with names like centers Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, the long road could prove to be worth it in the end.
In the Central Division, the Dallas Stars continue to be one of the most balanced teams in the league despite their off-season changes. While they lost center Joe Pavelski to retirement and defensemen Chris Tanev and Ryan Suter in trades, they are still led by an amazing offense compliments of left-winger Jason Robertson and forward Roope Hintz, who are bound to make another successful playoff run. Another powerhouse team in the Central Division is the Colorado Avalanche, which, yes, has injury-prone players like left-winger Gabriel Landeskog but is also the home of core players like defenseman Cale Makar and center Nathan Mackinnon. A new team will be emerging in the Central Division this season—previously known as the Arizona Coyotes—the Utah Hockey Club will be a team to watch. They will be entering this season with a young and developing roster still at the beginning of their rebuilding process.
Lastly, in the Atlantic Division, the Florida Panthers have a killer offense. With names like forward Matthew Tkachuk and center Aleksander Barkov leading the pack, the Panthers are poised to make a comeback and remain the top team in the league. In Boston, the Bruins will be looking to rally behind their captain, left-winger Brad Marchand, who is recovering from multiple off-season injuries, and roster additions center Elias Lindholm and defenseman Nikita Zadorov will hopefully stabilize their offensive and defensive lines. The only thing Boston is missing is the other half of the league’s best celebration, the Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman goalie hug—now that Ullmark is playing with the Ottawa Senators. One can only wonder what will happen with the Tampa Bay Lightning after losing forward and captain Steven Stamkos to the Nashville Predators after over 16 years as a franchise name. Tampa Bay essentially replaced Stamkos with left-winger Jake Guentzel, and there is no telling if losing a guy who led his team to two Stanley Cup Championships and multiple playoffs will have an effect in the 2024-25 season.